The fitness industry covers many things, from senior fitness to corrective exercise and group exercise programs to spa facilities. One service that is gaining popularity is private training with an accredited personal gym instructor.

Once you have taken the plunge and hired a personal trainer, you’ll realise that their fitness expertise covers much more than physical exercise.

As a fitness professional, your personal trainer will provide you with a complete fitness training program which covers your workouts as well as the healthy habits you should adopt.

Working towards your goals with a personal fitness instructor is about changing your lifestyle so that you can be the healthiest version of yourself, so private sports coaching is about changing your mentality as much as it is about getting fit.

It’s no secret that exercise has many health benefits.

In addition to the numerous gruelling exams they have to sit to get a personal trainer certification, in order to get certified and become a personal trainer, each fitness coach must also be highly knowledgeable when it comes to the nutritional aspect of exercise science.

The aim of a personal trainer is not only to provide high-quality services but to also encourage and motivate you throughout your journey to a healthier you.

When you set your fitness goals, your personal trainer will use their program design skills to provide you with a fitness program which is tailored to your training objectives, current lifestyle, cardio strength and your physiology (based on your body composition fitness assessment).

Sometimes, in order to be sure that their services are right for you, trainers will ask you about your needs and goals before accepting you as a student.

Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, improve your cardiovascular endurance training, get some guidance with your resistance training, be shown how to become a yoga or Pilates pro, run faster, tone your figure or just fancy a change from group fitness classes, your personal trainer will show you the best route to success as an athlete through one on one coaching to train your body to the next level.

It is essential that you stick rigorously to their training and nutritional advice if you want to see the results of your efforts quickly.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

To get yourself on track to achieving your goals, you’ll first need to find a personal trainer. You can look online or ask in your local gyms or health clubs.

Your personal sports coach will show you a range of training techniques and give you expert advice on how you should be fuelling your workouts, but their expertise can only come to fruition if you are motivated and determined in achieving your goal.

By sticking to the diet plan given to you by your personal fitness trainer, you greatly increase your chances of success in your programme.

If you’re aiming to shed a few pounds, your coach will teach you about the importance of knowing the nutritional value of your food.

They will help you to make the right decisions as you learn to make informed choices about the food you eat.

So, don’t be tempted by foods with a high sugar and salt content. Eating more nutrient-rich foods will keep you satisfied and keep your cravings at bay – you just need to know what to choose!

The most important thing is the very first kilo you lose, because this is a confirmation that all your hard work is paying off!

As your mentor, your personal trainer will continue to motivate you as the weight drops off and they will never make you feel disheartened if some weeks are more challenging than others.

Your coach will be able to help you find the right balance when it comes to your eating habits, and they will never put you in a situation where your fitness nutrition becomes an obsession.

They will also propose alternatives to snacking or binging so that you’re not consuming too many calories throughout the day, as this could affect your progress.

All of these methods contribute to a healthier lifestyle and can not only be used in your fitness career but also throughout your life to keep you in shape.

Why You Should Never Skip Meals

Working out can help you slim down – everyone knows that.

However, many people mistakenly think that depriving their body of certain meals throughout the day will help them lose the weight more quickly.

Your personal trainer, on the other hand, will tell you that skipping meals is a deadly sin.

Whatever your programme and goals, every private fitness coach will strongly advise against fasting because of its effects on your body.

The media talks about calories as something to keep as low as possible, however, calories give you the energy to fuel your workouts, and avoiding them could have serious consequences as your body will not be able to sustain a high level of physical activity and recover effectively.

So, your personal trainer will advise you to continue eating at regular mealtimes, but they’ll tell you to either reduce your portion sizes or banish certain foods from your plate.

This way, you won’t be starving your body of vital nutrients and you’ll find it far easier to get used to your new eating habits.

Take time to prepare and enjoy your food ¦ source: Pixabay – StockSnap

Your coach may also be able to give you valuable advice on many other related topics, such as the best food diary apps.

Depending on your personal health and fitness objectives, your trainer will be able to guide you when it comes to making the right food choices – particularly when you’re looking to build muscle mass.

As well as informing you on which foods to avoid, your coach will also show you how to choose more nutrient-rich foods that will give your body what it needs.

By reducing your portions, you will allow your body to use up its natural fat stores without feeling hungry!

The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep

Wellbeing is about maintaining an overall balance of work and rest.

Your personal trainer will stress the importance of taking rest days and getting plenty of sleep to help your body recover and get stronger for future personal training sessions.

When you exercise with your private coach, you’ll feel fatigue in your muscles as well as general tiredness. It’s important that you don’t put bedtime off until it’s too late to get a sufficient amount of sleep since like skipping meals, your body will not get a chance to replace everything it has used during the day.

Getting an early night before a hard workout is equally as important.

Regulating your sleeping pattern will not only benefit your workouts but help you feel more energised throughout the day.

Once you start sessions with a personal trainer, you’ll likely be advised to go to bed before 10pm and sleep for a minimum of 8 hours every night.

This, like changing your eating habits, is another part of adopting a healthier and more rewarding lifestyle. You will soon find that better nutrition and a good workout will improve the quality of your sleep so you will be getting more out of your eight hours.

Changing Your Diet

Start by ruling out processed foods and ready meals.

All you have to do is remove unhealthy choices from your shopping basket, and as your personal trainer will remind you, this part is essential to getting the results you’re aiming for.

Of course, we’ve all given into the temptation to food that is so easy to prepare.

For busy people who have little time to cook from scratch as well as shoppers who just want cheap and easy fast-food on a day out, easy meals seem to be everywhere, and that’s why it’s so difficult to escape the temptation.

Take a list to the supermarket and stick to it to avoid unhealthy impulse buys ¦ source: Pixabay – StockSnap

This part of your training will require a lot of willpower, and you should bear in mind that choosing fast food over fresh food will only undo your hard work at the gym, and make it harder to achieve success in your training.

Processed foods are full of chemical preservatives, added sugars and other nasty ingredients that your body will not thank you for.

So, make sure you read food labels and seriously consider what you are putting into your body – it doesn’t like being poisoned!

Choosing to remove these foods from your diet and cooking healthier, more natural meals will leave you feeling noticeably better in your day-to-day life as well as during your workouts.

Don’t feel bad about spending a bit of extra time at the supermarket to find out about healthier options – just enjoy your continuing education about what is right for your body!

Increase Protein Intake

If you’ve asked your coach to help you lose fat and gain muscle mass, you’ll be advised to try and eat more protein.

Regardless of your goals, upping your intake of protein can be beneficial as it helps repair your muscle tissue following a workout, as well as aiding general recovery.

Eating chicken and turkey is particularly good for athletes, as they are rich in protein and low in fat. Fish and pulses are also good options.

Meat can be quite expensive, so your coach will help you with finding good sources of protein that are within your budget and taste great!

Reduce Your Intake of Sugary and Fatty Foods

This is another key point for personal fitness training.

We always hear about the dangers of sugar and fat in the media, but how harmful are they really? And what can you do to avoid them? Your personal trainer will be able to clarify this for you by explaining why certain foods are unhealthy.

You’ll find out that some sugars are your worst enemy – so you shouldn’t eat sweets, but this doesn’t mean you have to avoid fruit!

The science behind sugar and exactly why it’s bad for weight loss will all become clear once you begin your training programme.

It’s the same case for fatty foods. Lessen your intake of saturated fats, but continue to eat the ‘healthy’ fats found in dairy and nuts.

Your personal trainer will take pleasure in helping you get to grips with the complex world of sports nutrition, as they explain key points and answer any questions you have along the way.

Share

Imogen

I'm an active energetic person. I enjoy long-distance running and have taken part in many organised events including the 2016 Prague Marathon. I'm a keen skier and love open-water swimming, when the weather is right!